Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has sent Mexican Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Julio Berdegué Sacristán a letter telling him that if the Mexican government does not reach agreement by Wednesday to allow flights to stop new world screwworm (NWS), the United States will “restrict the importation of animal commodities, which consist of live cattle, bison, and equine originating from or transiting Mexico to protect the interest of the agriculture industry in the United States.”

On Feb. 26, the Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Service announced it was shifting its sterile fly dispersal efforts to Mexico — the northernmost point of the outbreak. The flights drop sterile male screwworm flies to breed with insect populations on the ground, preventing propagation and creating a biological barrier.

“When larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of a living animal, they cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal,” said APHIS. “NWS can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, occasionally birds, and in rare cases, people.”

“Screwworm is very destructive and could cost American producers millions of dollars a year if it reaches us,” Wehrbein said.

“Americans have been investing in prevention efforts in Central America for decades, but we can’t stop this without Mexico’s participation. NCBA strongly supports Secretary Rollins holding Mexico to their commitments regarding screwworm eradication.”

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association President Carl Ray Polk Jr. said, “As our neighbor, Mexico has fallen short in its role as a partner in managing the spread of NWS, placing the burden and risk disproportionately on the U.S.”

“We continually advocate for proactive efforts to manage NWS before it reaches the U.S. border, and welcome the supportive consequences put in place by Secretary Rollins that can spur needed action to protect America’s cattle industry, food supply and wildlife populations,” Polk said.

“Mexico has tools at their fingertips, and to not allow aerial drops of sterile flies is irresponsible. Texas will be the first to face the consequences of their inaction, and cattle raisers need strong leadership from USDA like Rollins’ demonstrated today to push back against their failures.”

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Buck Wehrbein, a Nebraska cattleman, said, “The U.S. spent millions of dollars to eradicate New World screwworm from our borders in the 1960s but unfortunately, we are now facing this dangerous threat again.”